Former WWE Superstar Recalls Conversation He Had With Vince McMahon

The following are highlights from a recent Newsday interview with former WWE Superstar and member of the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI), Christopher Nowinski:

On a conversation he remembers having with Vince McMahon: “He let me know how proud he was [of SLI], how far the research had come, the influence we had in changing the culture in sports. And he really opened up the door to saying how could we work together, both to protect the talent in WWE, but it’s also ingrained that they’re supporting CTE research that will benefit athletes, military veterans and the world at large.”

On how WWE compares to other sports in terms of what he does: “The NFL has also been supportive financially of our research. I think what’s most special to me — I do a lot of speaking on this and a lot of training. Very few professional leagues have invited me in front of their talent, in front of the athletes. because I think they’re sometimes concerned about what message they’ll get, and their ability to maybe put them back into a big game when they need them. I think some leagues like that the players don’t necessarily know the risks they’re being exposed to.”